USDA designates 8 Washington counties as natural disaster areas

This Secretarial natural disaster designation allows the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) to extend much-needed emergency credit to producers recovering from natural disasters through emergency loans. Emergency loans can be used to meet various recovery needs including the replacement of essential items such as equipment or livestock, reorganization of a farming operation, or to refinance certain debts. FSA will review the loans based on the extent of losses, security available, and repayment ability. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, these counties suffered from a drought intensity value during the growing season of 1) D2 Drought-Severe for 8 or more consecutive weeks or 2) D3 Drought-Extreme or D4 Drought-Exceptional. Triggering Disaster #1 Impacted Area: Idaho, Oregon, Washington Triggering Disaster: Drought Application Deadline: 03/16/2026 Primary Counties Eligible:

• Idaho: Benewah, Latah, Nez Perce

Contiguous Counties Also Eligible:

• Idaho: Clearwater, Idaho, Kootenai, Lewis, Shoshone
• Oregon: Wallowa
• Washington: Asotin, Spokane, Whitman

Triggering Disaster #2 Impacted Area: Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington Triggering Disaster: Drought Application Deadline: 03/24/2026 Primary Counties Eligible: 

• Idaho: Cassia, Kootenai, Owyhee, Twin Falls

Contiguous Counties Also Eligible:

• Idaho: Ada, Benewah, Blane, Bonner, Canyon, Elmore, Gooding, Jerome, Minidoka, Oneida, Power, Shoshone
• Nevada: Elko, Humboldt
• Oregon: Malheur
• Utah: Box Elder
• Washington: Spokane

Triggering Disaster #3 Impacted Area: Oregon, Idaho, Washington Triggering Disaster: Drought Application Deadline: 03/24/2026 Primary Counties Eligible: 

• Oregon: Wallowa

Contiguous Counties Also Eligible:

• Idaho: Adams, Idaho, Nez Perce
• Oregon: Baker, Umatilla, Union
• Washington: Asotin, Columbia, Garfield

Triggering Disaster #4 Impacted Area: Washington, Idaho Triggering Disaster: Drought Application Deadline: 03/24/2026 Primary Counties Eligible: 

• Washington: Spokane

Contiguous Counties Also Eligible:

• Idaho: Benewah, Bonner, Kootenai
• Washington: Lincoln, Pend Oreille, Stevens, Whitman

On farmers.gov, the Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool, Disaster Assistance-at-a-Glance fact sheet, and Loan Assistance Tool can help you determine program or loan options. To file a Notice of Loss or to ask questions about available programs, contact your local  USDA Service Center.